Cabinet construction



June 16, 1931. FARMER 1,809,929

\ CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 13, 1927 II I 'i'l I l I I Ill Illl l r i J INVENTOR. .Fattersaw E il-r1067 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 16, 1931 I PATTERSON EARLIER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN CABINET CONSTRUCTION Application filed October 13, 1927. Serial No. 225,887.

This invention relates to cabinet construction, and more especially a cabinet for boldfrozen food stuifs such as ice cream.

ing ce cream cabinets are commonly used for holding and keeping the ice cream in a frozen condition at places where the cream is dispensed to the retail trade. The present 1nvention contemplates such a cabinet of increased efficiency inasmuch as the construction affords a vacuum chamber to prevent the transference of heat. The cabinet is one which can be used with ice or with a mechanical cooling apparatus.

Features of the invention reside in a novel and simplified construction which provides for a .vacuum chamber in the cabinet; a novel manner by which interior portions of the cabinet are joined to exterior portions of the cabinet so as to minimize the transference of heat from the relatively warm exterior portion tothe interior portion. The cabinet is constructed primarily of base members of sufficient tensile strength to resist the exterior atmospheric pressure when the vacuum is created, and the base construction may itself be of material of poor heat conducting properties. Furthermore, the invention contemplates reinforcements within the vacuum chamber of reinforcing the walls of the cablnet against the exterlor atmospheric pressure.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken through a cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective, partly in section, showing in more detail, the manner in which the inner and outer portions of the cabinet are joined to minimize the transference of heat.

Fig. 3 is a detail in section showing a different manner in which the construction between the inner and outer portions may be made.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in section of a valve construction which can be used with the cabinet.

The cabinet consists of an exterior wall construction 1, the sides and ends of which may, if desired, be covered with a sheet metal covering 2. This wall construction may be of suitable boards, or of wood and metal ply construction. The top of the cabinet. as shown at 3, is also preferably covered with a layer of metal 4, the top having suitable openings with removable covers 5.

Within this cabinet exterior portion is a section which permits the creation of a vacuum. This portion of the cabinet consists of an outer wall or frame construction 6 covered by a layer of metal 7, and an inner wall construction spaced from the outer wall consisting of frame construction 8 covered by metal 9. This afiords a space 10 between these inner and outer walls for the creation of a vacuum. At the top of the cabinet these ilriner and outer walls are covered by members The wall portions 6 and 8, and the members 11 are made of material, such as wood, of sufficient tensile strength to resist the external pressure when a vacuum is created in the chamber 10. Balsa wood may be advantageously used for this purpose inasmuch as this wood is itself a very good insulator. For further strengthening the construction a multiplicity of supports 12 may be placed in the vacuum chamber for supporting and adding to the rigidity of the walls. These supports may be in the form of blocks of balsa wood.

The metal covering 7 for the vacuum chamber lies next adjacent to the exterior wall construction of the cabinet, and of course will be relatively warm by reason of the heat from the surrounding atmosphere. The metal 9 of the interior wall of the vacuum chamber will be relatively cold inasmuch as it lies next adjacent to the cool interior of the cabinet. These two metal members are brought over the top of the members 11, and in order to entirely close the vacuum chamber with metal it is necessary to join these two members. However, it is desirable to minimize the transference of heat from the relatively warm metallic wall member 7 to the metallic member9.

For this purpose a joint is provided between these two metal wall portions which is arranged to minimize the transference of heat. Such a joint may be made by utilizing substance erties as compared to the metal of the wallv portions. This strip f12'may be soldered, welded or brazed to the wall portions, as at 13. This construction'forms a break in the transference of heat and at the same time 1 El'lfillc pressure may warpthe vacuum chamaffords a complete metal covering forthe vacuum chamber. vThe strip may be of a place.

In Fig. 3 there shown a different form of has a thickness materially less than the thickness of these wall portions. In'this con-'- struction'the strip 12a may be of'the same metal as that of the wall portions and yet provide forminimizing heat transference; also this thin strip 12a. may be a metal of lower heat conduct ng properties which gives a still further-insulating effect to prevent the 'Th'i's-tankfis provide with wells-16 in alignment with the openings inthe top of thecabinet which are closed by the covers 5. The containers of cream are to be placed in these vwells and the covers maybe removed accessto the valve. This valve is provided" from time to time for dispensing the cream I parallel to the first mentloned port, and

in the usual manner.

For the purpose of creating the vacuum in the chamber, and to permit test of the vacuum from time to time, a valveconstruction 20 is placed at some point in the wall of the" vacuum chamber. An advantageous point ,for this valve is on the connecting strip at the top of the cabinet which may be provided withan opening 21 to permit with a valve seat 21 and a valve member 22 which is normally-closed but which can be which can be cast ormoulded in In accordance with this invention ayacuum chamber-1s provided which 1s entlrely sealed by air tight wallswhich are reinforced by suitable frame construction for resisting the pressure incident to the vacuum. While of heat from the outer metallic wall portion to the inner metallic'wall portion. It is probable that in use, there may be some warpmg or changing or shape of the walls of the vacuum chamber. For instance, the atmoser so as to tend to separate the metallic wall members 7 at one or more" points from the.

exterior wallsof the cabinet. But this, however, w1ll not be objectionable inasmuch as the vacuum chamber isconcealed "from view and the exterior walls of the cabinet will.

retain their originalishape.

In the specification'and claim it has been found advantageous to'desc'ribe the cabinet 7 v as one suitable for'frozen food stuffs or the like. However, this has not been done with theidea of limiting the invention to use for frozen food stuffs but it is intended that the invention may be used for food stuffs which aremerely kept in'a cooled or chilled condition without necessarily being frozen.

I claim: v "A cabinet for containing food stuffs or the like, comprising in combination inner and outer I substantially non-heat-conducting walls spaced to provide a vacuum space, valve.

means in the outer wall consisting of a port extendingfrom the exterior side of the outer wall to the middle of said outer wall, a sec .ond port in the outer wall spaced from, and

o ened by-means of a valve rod 23, prefera 1y shaped as shown for receiving a suitable tool for rotating the stem. The valve also includes a connection 24 for receivin a.

gauge for testing purposes, or a conduitor use 1n creating the vacuum. This connectan outlet may be normally closed by a cap 25. y removing the cap 25 and applying a gauge the vacuumin the chamber can be.

tested from time to time-byopening of the valve 22. This valve construction can also be utilized in originally creating the vacuum, 

